Cyclists who thought a dose of caffeine before a time trial made them faster were probably right. 

A recently published study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition showed that, taken in the right amount, caffeine produced small but significant effects that could make a big difference in the outcome of a race. A dosage of four to six milligrams per kilogram of body weight was found to be the optimal amount, while a lower dose did not yield improvements.

Caffeine, especially in the form of coffee, is part of cycling lore. Cyclists have long relied on a pre-race espresso and recreational riders rarely leave home without a cup or two of mud. The benefits don’t end with cycling; a separate study in the British Medical Journal listed a host of medical conditions that coffee has shown to provide protection against.

And, the International Olympic Committee said in a 2018 statement that caffeine pills or powder are likely to provide gains partly by reducing the perception of exertion. It further stated that doses of 100 to 300 mg of caffeine consumed during a time trial could improve performance by 3% to 7%, numbers that represent large gains.

“Caffeine, widely recognized as an ergonomic aid, has undergone extensive research, demonstrating its effectiveness to enhance endurance performance,” researchers said in the recent ISSN study. “However, there remains a significant gap in systematically evaluating its effects on time trial performance in cyclists.”

To fill that gap, researchers combed through four databases to find studies that investigated the effects of caffeine ingestion on cycling performance. After narrowing 1,700 studies down to 15 that contained the right criteria, such as time trial completion times and mean power output as performance measures, researchers got to work assessing whether caffeine does indeed improve performance.

Small percentages are big gains

What they found was that a moderate dosage significantly improves time trial performance. They also found, by contrast, that doses lower than four to six milligrams per kilogram of body weight did not yield the same improvement. 

“Our results indicate that a moderate dosage leads to a 2% higher improvement in TT performance compared to a low dosage (1-3 mg/kg),” the researchers said. 

While 2% may not sound like much, it is a huge performance boost for a cyclist in a time trial. The research pointed out that a 2% improvement in the men’s time trial at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics would have potentially elevated the 8^th place finisher to a top-three finish.

In the 2016 Athens Olympics, the champion and runner-up in the team pursuit track race were separated by just 0.88%, the research says. 

The study recommended that cyclists determine the optimal dose through trials conducted ahead of competition. “This personalized approach can help ensure that athletes harness the performance-enhancing benefits of caffeine without compromising their health and comfort during competition events,” researchers advised.

More research is needed

The study does have its limitations. Among them, researchers pointed out, is that “cyclists often consume caffeine in combination with other substances during competitions. Therefore, future research should explore the differences in effects resulting from different co-intake strategies.”

In addition, the research did not consider factors such as blood lactate concentration, heart rate and ratings of perceived fatigue. Incorporating those metrics into future research could provide additional insights into the ergonomic effects of caffeine, the study says.

While the findings could provide a basis for cyclists and coaches to devise effective caffeine supplementation strategies, it is essential when tailoring personalized supplement regimens to consider individual athletes differences (i.e. gender, dietary habits, and genetic types) to maximize the ergogenic effects, the study concluded.

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